Misjudged
by The Layman
Summary: Raito's Light's world has just been throw to choas. Why is all this happening to him, and why is his family involved? Warning; paranoia and violence in later chapters.
1. Beginings

_AN: Layman here. I don't quite know where this idea came from (Effin' plot bunnies!), but for some reason it seemed like something I should follow up. I guess maybe because I have a sneaking admiration for the Horror genre._

_Anyways, think "mistaken identities" when you're reading this, and that's all I'll say about it. Enjoy.  
________________________________________

Another day, another night helping my sister with her math homework, Yagami Raito thought for the upteenth time this month, and counting.

His sister, Sayu, was a few years younger than him, (she only just started college this year), so she still didn't quite understand all the higher math that was required. Math was always her Achilles heel, but by the same token it was one of Raito's strengths.

So here he was again, when he could be out with any one of the many girls in his school who were interested in him, such as his girlfriend Takada Kiyomi, and others (he was always rather good looking, there was hardly a day when at least one girl didn't come up to him and say so). Or even working on an extra credit project for one of his other classes, working closer to graduating a year earlier. But no, he had opted to take on the role of a tutor and help his little sister.

For two whole months, now.

Plus, he couldn't get out of it, no matter how much he wanted to. The longer this went on, the more she improved. Not in leaps and bounds, mind you. Just enough for her to keep coming back for more.

This is how this story starts....

* * *

"Are you sure you understand everything now?" Raito asked.

"Yep," she said in her usually cheery voice. It was hard to tell whether she actually did get it or was just saying she did because she was bored. Oh well, if his parents didn't chew him out when she brought home her next test paper, then any worry had until then would be moot. She looked at him sweetly and said, "Thanks, Nii-chan, I really appreciate the help. College math is a lot harder than I thought it would be."

"What'd you expect, it's college."

"I know, but you always make it seem so easy. It's almost like there's someone else doing all the work, wearing your body."

"Okay, that's not the least bit morbid," he muttered under his breath. He quickly shook himself out of it before she noticed and said, "Just remember all this tomorrow. If you have any other questions..."

"Don't worry Nii-chan, I won't bother you any more. Just do whatever you want for the rest of the night." She flashed one of her pattented smiles and left his room, presumably to finish her homework by herself.

For the rest of the night he mostly stayed in his own room, only leaving it a few times to get snacks. He finished an essay he was writing for his civics class, then decided to spend the rest of the night with a good book, knowing that tomorrow would bring with it a fresh set of trials and tribulations.

Fortunately, he couldn't care less about what would happen tomorrow. He was in the middle of a gripping Stephen King novel someone had recomended to him.

Normally he wasn't really into Western authors, (even though he could read English well), but he was open minded, so he'd decided last year to read at least a few in his life.

Eventually he put the book down and settled into his bed for the night, feeling satisfied with his day today.

* * *

The next morning, Raito got off the train and headed for his campus. Sinse he lived fairly close to the college he was attending he never felt the need to live on campus. Sure, he was usually out a few bucks, but it would cost more to live in one of the campus provided dorms or or an apartment.

Besides, he couldn't take the chance that he'd end up with a terrible roommate.

"Hey, Raito, over here!" Ryuzaki Lawliet called. He was the one who suggested he read Stephen King.

"Hey yourself!" Raito called, heading to intercept his classmate and one of the few people he actually considered friends. "What's up?"

"Actually, I have a message for you. From Takada."

"Really? Come on, L, tell me what Kiyomi said." "L" was a nickname he had given his friend ewhen they first met, and it had stuck to this day.

"She said to tell you that she was feeling sick and probably won't be around for a few days."

"You mean she told you in person? Why didn't she just call me on the phone herself if she wasn't feeling well?"

"I saw her coming out of a drug store on my way here," L explained. "I'd just gotten a pastry or something from a bakery and I saw her coming out of a drug store on the other side of the street holding a perscription bag. The bus stop was over there, and her home and the college are on that same route, so I guess she must have recongnized me or something and told me to tell you that she was sick." L's exspersion then changed to one of scrutiny. "I was actually rather surprised that she recongnized me, seeing as how you never hang out with the both of us together. Are you hiding something about her from me?"

"No!" Raito shouted indignantly. "Besides, even if I tried you'd probably figure it out right away." He grinned and gave his comrade a playful nudge with his elbow. "Mr. World's Greatest Detective!"

"Come on, you know I don't like that name. Boy, you solve one 'unsolvble' internet contest...," he mumbled.

"It's not just that; remember when we helped my dad with one of his cases?"

"I remeber just fine..."

"You helped locate a crimial that the NPA was trying to find for months. Don't tell me that was due to divine intervention."

"It might have been," L said, taking a bite of somehting that looked suspiciously like a cupcake.

"OK, you really have to cut down on your sugar intake; you'll be fat before you're twenty-five!"

"Please," L scoffed, "I don't eat that many sweets."

"You're eating something sweet every time I see you," Raito said, his voice and face emotionless. The emotion returned when he said, "You look like you haven't slept in weeks!" Raito pulled his friend over to a window and showed him his reflection.

Sure enough, L was starting to look like a zombie. His eyes were wide open, with bags and dark circles common to sleep deprivation. On top on that his hair had always seemed to be slightly unkept for as long as he'd know him, so that didn't help much.

"It's not that bad," L said.

"You know what," Raito said, throwing his hands up in defeat, "I give up! There's just no reasoning with you. I'll see you later, OK?" he said as he headed off to his first class.

He was so distracted by the conversation he'd had with his, 'unique', friend that he didn't realized he'd bumbed into another student until he was on the ground, rubbing his sore backside.

"Oh man, I'm so sorry. I didn't see you there. It was completely my fault," he stammered, picking up the books that had dropped. He himself used a tote bag.

"Don't worry about it," the girl said in a high-pitched voice, much higher than he would have expected for someone her age, "this happenes all the time. I guess sometimes I'm just off in my own little world!" she chuckled. "I'm Misa by the way, Amane Misa." She held out her hand.

"Yagami Raito," Raito said, returning the gesture. "I haven't seen you around before, did you transfer?"

"Actually yes, I just transfered about two weeks ago" she said.

"Your not hurt, are you?" he asked.

"No, I'm fine," she said with a wave of her hand. "I told you this happens all the time. I guess I've built up an immunity to it." She gave a goofy grin and shrugged.

"Well, as long as you''l be OK..." he said, and started of towards his class again.

"Wait," she called after him, "I have something to tell you!"

"What is it?" he asked, stopping ot let her catch up with him.

Suddenly a sweeping change came over her. Her voice became serious, her smile disolved, and what had just moments before been a cheerful, bubbly girl, now was something else entirely. Maybe it was the whole Goth-Lolita image she had, but Raito was actually starting to feel scared.

"If you want to live, get away soon," she said, her voice having an air of menace to it. "By now!" she called, her voice returning to normal.  
_____________________________

_Author's Note; Layman here, at the end of the first chapter of my second M-rated fic. _

_A couple things you might want to know about this one. First of all, it's only rates M for violence and paranoia. No smut, Lemon, or foul language. That's not the way I roll. And let me tell you, it will probably get very bloody violent in the later chapters. _

_Second, there isn't really going to be any shipping in this story, so don't get the wrong idea about the L/Light scene in the middle. That's another way I don't roll. Just FYI. _

_Finally, I'd like to thank caveat lector for getting me in to Death Note fics! "Goodnight Sweet Princess" is a very good story of his that you should really check out if you haven't done so already._


	2. Worse

_"If you want to live, get away soon," she said, her voice having an air of menace to it. "By now!" she called, her voice returning to normal.  
_ __________________________________

For the rest of the day, Raito couldn't stop thinking about Misa and what she said. A few times it got to the point were a teacher would yell at him to stop daydreaming.

At lunch he spoke to L about it.

"So you say she was all cute and bubbly after you bumped into each other..."

"If you think Goth-Lolita is cute," Raito mumbled.

"...And just before you parted she got all weird and serious and just walked away? You sure attract the crazies, don't you?"

"You're living proof of that," Raito retorted, grinning wryly. Then he became serious again. "But seriously, why did she do that? I mean, that's the first time we met, right?" He sighed, reasting his head in his hands. "I just can't wrap my mind around this."

"She does seem strange," L mused. "What did you say her name was?"

"Amane Misa."

"Hmm, why don't we do a search through the NPA database? They're bound to have something on her, aren't they?"

"It's as good a way as any to start. Let's do it."

"Besides, if it's just a weird behavioral quirk then you could just ignore it. Problem solved."

"Hm, I hadn't thought of that," Raito said, getting up form his chair. L followed suite. "I should probably let my dad know I'm doing that, though. He gets kind of mad if he finds out I've been using the police database without his permission."

"Your dad actually let's you do that?" L asked, cleary surprised.

"He doesn't mind, especially not after we helped him with that case once." Raito checked his bag to make sure all his books were still there and headed off to his next class. "Besides, what better way to have an edge when I join the NPA?"

* * *

When he got home that evening he tossed his book bag in his room and went to say hi to his parents.

"Hi Mom, hi Dad," he said.

"Hello Raito," his mother said, giving him a hug. "How did you do today?"

"I don't know yet, we don't get our grades till Friday."

"Don't pester the boy," his father said from behind a newspaper, "he gets enough pressure at school already."

"Thanks, Dad," Raito said, making his way back to the stairs. "By the way, where's Sayu? She's usually begging me to help her with math by now."

"She's at a friend's house," his mother replied, "she said she'll be staying the night."

"Thanks."

"Oh, dinner's in fifteen minutes."

"Thanks Mom!" he called from the top of the stairs.

Once he was safely in his room again he turned on the computer and began writing a new essay. He eventually got bored of that and decided to invite L over after dinner.

The sooner he got Misa off his mind the better.

About forty-five minutes later there was a knock at the door.

"I brought donuts," L said, his arms holding a dozen-size box of donuts.

"I can never understand how you can eat those things," Raito said as he let his friend in, "they're practically sugar."

"Because they're practically sugar," L answered.

"What in the world are you boy going to be doing that would require all those donuts?" his father asked.

"Current events project," Raito lied.

"The donuts are to help keep us awake," L offered helpfully.

"Of course," Yagami Soichiro said, the logic somehow escaping him, "just don't stay up to long."

"By the way, I need to use the police database," Raito said. "Out project is on criminals still at large."

"That's fine," he said, Just don't go in anything marked classified."

"Sure, thanks."

* * *

"Seriously, what's with the donuts?" Raito asked once he and L were in his room.

"I got hungy on the way over," he explained. "Plus, I saw it in this Western cop movie once."

"Ugh, did you get dropped on your head when were young or something?" Raito exasperated.

"I am who I am," L shrugged. "Let's see who Misa really is," he said, taking a donut from the box. Raito rolled his eyes and turned on his computer.

When it fully booted up he typed in his father's password and brought up the internet browser.

"Let's check the college website first," Raito suggested, "I should be able to access her permanent record from there."

"Good idea," L agreed, taking a bite of donut.

A minute later the permanent record for Amane Misa filled the screen.

"Wow," L breathed, "her grades are almost as good as yours."

"I know, her record is almost spotless."

"Almost?"

"Here in High School," Raito pointed to a spot on the screen, "she was briefly suspended for breaking and entering after school hours. It looks like she and some of her friends were playing this spirit medium game and were caught by the night watchman one night.

"But other than that she seemed to be a model student."

"Try the NPA files, they'll have more than just the stuff from her schools," L said.

Raito brought up the NPA database and typed in Misa's name.

"The same as her school record; spotless."

"Bring up her expanded profile," L told him. Raito did so. It was rather long, but not terrible so. It took them about five minutes to read through it thoroughly.

"Still nothing," Raito said when he finished. "She's just to perfect."

"Which just means that there's more to her," L explained. "We might have to use more drastic measures if we what to know anything."

"You do that, I know all I need to," Raito said in no uncertain terms.

"What do you mean?"

"She's obviously has a teeny, tiny screw loose, but that's all. It's just a behavioral quirk like you said. Nothing to worry about."

"Whatever you say," L sighed, unconvinced. He took another donut out of the box, "but I think that there's still more her than meets the eye."

"Do you even know how corny that sounds? Never mind, let's actually try to get some studying done, OK?"

"Sure," L said, "I don't have anywhere else to go."

* * *

The next day Raito was feeling much better about himself. He'd turned in a thesis paper on criminal psychology that he knew he did well on, he scored three goals in a pick-up game of football* he decided to join during lunch, and he hadn't seen Amane Misa all day.

He was actually kind if disappointed about not seeing Misa, he wanted to ask her if she would have dinner with him and L as an apology from bumping into her the other day.

At least, that's what he would say if anyone asked him about it.

What he was really going to do was test his theory, or more accurately L's theory, that she was just a normal, bubbly girl who had one or two bats in the belfry. Hopefully, L would be right.

He finally caught up to her on his way home, just as he was leaving the main building.

"Misa, wait up!"

"Oh, hi there," she said. "Yagami-kun, right?"

"That's right," he said, "I kind of bumped into you yesterday?"

"Aw, don't worry about that, Misa said it happens all the time."

'Misa' said? Did she think she was three or something?

"I still feel pretty bad about it, though," Raito said, giving no indication he noticed he slip into the third person, "so if there's anything I can do to make it up to you?"

"Please," she said, starting to blush, "you don't have to do that."

"If that's what you want. I just wanted to make sure you weren't mad at me or anything."

"Misa's fine, but I would like to ask you something."

"I'm all ears," Raito said, preparing for the worst.

"Would Raito-kun like to have dinner with Misa tomorrow?"

"I don't see why not," he said, only half expecting her to say something like that. In truth, he was surprised that she was asking him the exact thing he was planning on asking her. He decided to roll with it, "where did you want to go?"

"Ooh, I know this adorable maid cafe down town. I've always wanted to try it, but I've never had anyone to go with. Thanks a bunch!" She gave him a quick hug and then headed of towards the nearest bus stop.

* * *

"Raito? Hey there!" L said from the other side of the phone line. "You almost never call my cell, what's the occasion?"

"Something interesting happened just now," Raito explained to his absent friend. "Misa just asked me to have dinner with her tomorrow."

"Really?" L sounded stunned. "Did you say you'd do it?"

"Of course I did. Why?"

"Well, for one thing, you still have a girlfriend."

"I know that," Raito scoffed, "this totally isn't like that. But you're right, I should call her tonight and see how she's doing. Thanks."

"You're welcome. Besides, I just found out something interesting about her I think you should know."

Beep! One new text message.

"Hold on a sec, someone texted me." Raito opened the new message and found it was from Misa.

"Who texted you?" L asked eagerly.

"Misa," Raito answered, "it's the directions to the place she wants to meet me. Wait, did you want to say something?"

"Yeah, and it's even more important you know now." L paused. "I did some digging of my own, and guess what I found.

"All of Misa's records were faked."

Beep! One new text message.

When Raito looked at the new message, he could swear he felt his heart stop beating.

_Beware the one close to you._

"Hey," L called, "bring me back some cake, will you?"

* * *

_Author's Note: Layman here, finishing up chapter two._

_How do you like it so far? Can you guess what will happened next? If you can, than I tip my hat to you, because then you'd be as smart as either Light or L. If not, then you'll just have to wait and see...._

_As always, R&R. I'd really like some feedback on this story.  
*soccer. Everywhere else in the world soccer is known as football._


	3. Revelations

_Beware the one close to you. (text message from Misa)  
___________________________________________

The whole next day Raito didn't see Misa, but he couldn't stop thinking about her or what she said. _"The one close to him"?_ What did that even mean? Surely she couldn't mean L? She never even met him.

Or it could be someone else entirely, like his girlfriend. She conveniently gotten sick just before this whole mess started, maybe she was using that as an excuse for him not to suspect her.

No, that was just stupid. He couldn't think of any reason to distrust of his own girlfriend.

It was all too confusing. He'd just have to wait until he met with Misa later before anything made sense.

On his way home however, he ran into her.

She was standing next to a vending machine, fumbling through her purse for change.

"Misa," Raito said as he headed up the sidewalk.

"Oh, Raito-kun," she said, turning around to greet him, "what are you doing here? Misa thought we weren't meeting until later."

"So did I," he said, trying not to scrunch his face at her abnormally high-pitched voice, "but I think we need to talk now." His tone left no room for argument.

"What would Raito-kun like to talk about?" Ugh, did she really have to use "kun" all the time? They'd only met three days ago. And why did she always say names in the third person?

"I want to know what your problem is," Raito said bluntly, "why you're sending me weird text messages, and most importantly...,

"Who are you really?"

For a moment Misa looked stunned, surprised that Raito would ask something so callous. Then she composed herself and looked him straight in the eye. her gaze incredibly peircing.

"Meet me in three hours at the love hotel down the road."

"A love hotel?! Why the hell would you think that I'd even-" She put a finger to his lips, cutting him off.

"Because it'll be completely private," she said. "I'll tell you everything then, I promise." She smiled sweetly and headed off. "Don't forget," she called back, "Three hours, Raito-kun!"

* * *

As Raito aproached his house the feeling of unease failed to lift like he thought it would. He'd had this feeling all day, but it had increased when he met Misa again.

He couldn't help thinking he might be walking right into a trap.

As he opened the door he almost bumped into Sayu, who was clad in jacket and backpack.

"Oh, Nii-chan, I didn't know you wre home already."

"I guess I am," he said, eyeing over his sister. "What about you? Going to join the circus?" She chuckled.

"Silly Nii-chan, of course not!" she said. "Yoshi-chan and I are going to spend the night at Sakura-chan's. We're going to watch movies and play games all night!"

"Whatever. Are Mom and Dad home?" Better to act as is nothing's wrong.

"No," his sister said, "they went on a date. They said not to wait up for them." She gave him an incredibly smug grin, "Why, have a hot date tonight?"

"Absolutley not!" he said. "And for your information my love life is none of your business."

"No need to get so angry, I was just curious. Well, I'm off!" She waved to him as she got on her bike and pedaled off to her friend's house. As she road off he wondered if she did her math homework yet. It was only Wednesday after all.

In his room he ate a few ohagi and changed out of his school clothes.

He really didn't want to see Misa again (there was just something about her that got under his skin), but at then same time he couldn't just leave this mystery hanging.

Curse his inate disire to investigate.

Eventually it was time to leave. As he headed out the door a thought suddenly struck him.

He might be walking right into a trap. If that was the case, he wasn't going in unprepared. He quickly ran into his father's study and grabbed a gun he knew his father kept there. Sticking it in the back of his pants he left the house and grabbed a bus to the street where he would have his confrontation with Misa.

He hoped he wouldn't regret this.

* * *

When he got to the hotel Misa was meeting him at, he almost turned around then and there. Whoever designed this building most have been out of their mind. There wasn't anything explicit anywhere, but the tirm "luvvy-duvvy" seemed like a gross understatement for this place.

Sigh.

Might as well get it over with.

Misa had given him instructions via text on what to do when he got there just a few minutes ago, so he didn't really have any time to psych himself into it. At this point, his desire for answers was the only thing driving him forward.

"Hi," he said, walking up to the front desk, "someone's expecting me."

"Name," the attendant asked, typing some keys on a computer.

"Yagami Raito." The attendant mulled over something on the screen for a minute before looking up again.

"You're in luck, a Amane Misa-san said someone with your description was coming Yagami-san." He was handed a key and pointed down a hallway. "Last door on the left."

"Thanks," Raito mumbled as he headed to the room.

He knocked on the door once he reached it.

Ten seconds later he was forcably pulled inside by a seemingly impassioned Misa. She threw him on the bed at went to double lock the door. When that was done she flipped on the television and pulled up a chair.

"So no one will bother us," she said, answering his unspoken question.

"Look," he said, regaining his composure, "I'm starting to get a little, no, make that very sick and tired of all this crap I've bee getting from you. Now start giving me some straight answers for a change or-" He reached for his gun, then horribly realized it wasn't on his person anymore.

"Looking for this," Misa asked, holding the gun in question on the tip of her finger. Her voice also seemed to lose the annoying squeak it had. "Don't worry, I'm not going to shoot you," she tossed it on the bed next to him. "Besides, I could have done it a million other ways before now."

"Then why haven't you?" A dark thought crossed Raito's mind. "Wait, this isn't-"

"No, this isn't some weird, perverted sex fantasy." She eyed him impatiently, "Do you what me to explain this to you or what?"

"Fine by me," he said, enticed by the promise of revelation.

"First of all, I assume you've already tried to look at my public records, right?"

Raito nodded.

"Then you should know that 97% of all that is falsified."

Raito suspected that much, but he let her continue.

"My name and a few other facts were left intact, but I was completely different than what the records say I was when I was younger." She paused, remembering. "I got involved with the wrong crowd when I was twelve, and got into some pretty major incidents with them. Eventually we broke into the school for what we thought was just a harmless game, but we were caught and expelled before anything really serious happened."

"And all this has something to do with me?" Raito asked, speaking up for the first time since Misa started talking.

"Are you familiar with spirit games? Séances, Oui-ji broads, Kokkuri-san?"

"You didn't answer my question, but yes, I am."

"Have you ever heard of Death Note?"

This sent chills down his spine.

"No."

"Not many people have, it's incredibly secretive. Almost like a cult."

"That was the game you were playing when you got caught, wasn't it?" Raito said as the pieces starting to form in his mind.

"Exactly."

"But then how is it dangerous? I mean, isn't there just some trick to it that makes people believe it's real?"

"Not this one. This one is real. You basically kill people with it."

Raito gulped.

"The basic principle is you use the book to call for a Shinigami, then write the name of the person you want to kill, and the Shinigami will kill them."

"B-but why are you telling me all this?" Raito asked. "I've never even heard of Death Note, and, (even though I totally understand the value of preventative measures), I'm not into that kind of stuff anyways. How is this relevant to me?"

"Raito," Misa said, place a hand on his shoulder, "your sister is about to use the Death Note."  
_________________________________________

_Layman here, at the end of chapter #3._

_First of all, I have absolutely no idea how Japanese love hotel are run. Anything and everything in the lobby scene was taken from the 0.001% knowledge I do know and a little imagination to fill in the blanks._

_Also, if things go right, the next chapter should bring everything together. See you then._


	4. Shinigami

Hello, Layman speaking. This is a two part waring that I advise you to read before conituing with this story.

First, this is where the violence meter really kicks it to eleven. So if you don't like to read graphic violence, you should probably stop reading.

Second, for anyone reading this who likes Misa, be warned that there will be quite a bit of whumpage directed against her. I'm sorry, but that's the way the story wrote itself.

That being said, please enjoy.

* * *

_"Raito," Misa said, place a hand on his shoulder, "your sister is about to use the Death Note."  
_ ______________________________

"What?!" Raito exclaimed. "Why would Sayu do that? She doesn't even like that stuff."

"She goes to the same college as you do, right?" Misa asked. "What's her I.Q.?"

"Above average," Raito said, "except she's alwaus had trouble with math for some reason."

"Really? How does she feel about that?"

Raito thought for a moment.

"I'm not sure," he said. "She's always smiling; I guess I never really thought to ask."

"She's probably carrying a lot of built up emotions. This must be the only way she can think of to let it out." Misa paused, looking thoughtful. "You're sure she's never told you anything about her experience at college?"

"Now that you mention it, she did say once that everyone else seemed to be making it hard for her." Misa cocked an eyebrow, and suddenly, it clicked. "Oh my god."

"That's right. If we don't stop this before midnight, it'll be to late."

"What time is it now?" Raito asked anxiously.

"10:00 PM." Misa pulled out a map from the bedside drawer. "Where is she now?"

"Probably at her friend's house," Raito pointed to a spot on the map northeast of where they were. "It's not that far."

"No, they would do anything there. It has to be someplace deserted, someplace where there wouldn't be anyone after dark."

"Another school building then, or maybe an abandoned apartment."

"Here's something," Misa pointed to a spot farther up the map, "It's an abandoned storage warehouse. It's been vacant for over fifteen years."

"That's got to be it, let's go!"

As they headed out of the Love hotel they flagged down a cab and told the driver the address of the warehouse.

Misa handed him a wad of bills.

"Jou-san, this is over 100,000 yen!?" he said, flabbergasted.

"Keep it," she said hurriedly, "just get us there before midnight."

"Works for me," the cabbie said as he rocketed away from the curb.

On the way there Raito couldn't help reflecting on the events of the past few days. God, he was so stupid, why did he see the signs? Nee-chan's troubles at school, her see her friends more often, even the random morbid thing she said that he just passed off as one if those "spazzy girl things". He'd even started to suspect his own friends as having some evil agenda against him.

And Misa, he'd been totally wrong about her. There were so many mistakes he made there he didn't no where to begin.

* * *

When they got to the warehouse they got out of the cab and Misa paid the cabbie some extra bills for getting then there on time. As he drove away Raito looked at his watch.

11:47 PM.

"We've got to hurry," Misa said, "they'll have started the ritual by now." She reached into her and pulled out Raito's gun. "Let's go."

The warehouse was as abandoned and as run down as ever, complete with boards over the windows and doors and everything.

The duo searched for five minute before they found some boards rotten enough to pull away. Misa handed Raito a flashlight and they both went inside.

Immediately they both felt the drop in temperature.

"Brr, how could it be so cold in here? It's not even Autumn yet."

"It's one of the side effects of Death Note," Misa explained.

A light flickered on off to the side.

"What was that?" Raito exclaimed, swinging his light towards the side.

"Nothing," Misa said, keeping her light straight ahead.

"How many times have you done this?" Raito asked quizzically.

"Too many," she said solumnly. "I've had to do this too many times."

For the next couple minutes they walked in silence, searching for any sign of the girls.

It was 11:53 now.

Suddenly, Raito noticed there was a slight breeze coming from a side hallway. Misa noticed it too and headed towards the source.

At the end of the hallway was a door with one of the corners chewed off.

"This is it," Misa warned, "just follow my lead and we should all leave this alive."

Raito nodded.

With a nod in return Misa kicked the door open. Immediately they were bombarded by an apparently sourceless gale wind. It was so strong it almost ripped Raito from his handhold on the door frame he'd been forced to grab.

A minute later it subsided. Not completely, but enough that they could walk into the room.

A what Raito saw inside really made him wish he hadn't come.

His sister and her two friends were sitting in a circle, facing an open notebook on the floor. Hovering above the notebook was...a demon.

Even if it wasn't a demon, it was one of the scariest things Raito had ever seen. It was tall and lanky, and it apparently wore a ton of leather. It had two bat-like wings, but it didn't seem to be using them at the moment. It's face was deathly pale, and it didn't appear to have a nose. It's eyes were terrifying; they looked like they were locked open, and they were extremely probing.

It could only be a Shinigami.

"Get down!" Misa yelled from behind him. She pushed him out of the way and began firing on the notebook. The girls dove out of the way as the book became swiss cheese.

The Shinigami on the other hand was not so lucky. He began to fizz out as soon as the first bullet made it's hole. It let out an unearthly scream and thew itself around the room erratically. It finally knocked itself into a pile of junk where Sayu had jumped and sent it crashing down on them.

"Sayu!" Raito screamed as the mountian of junk crashed down in a cloud of dust on his only sister. "Sayu!"

When the dust cleared he rushed over to the pile and started throwing pieces of junk away. "Yoshi-chan, Sakura-chan," he called to Sayu's friends, "help me get her out!" To stunned to do anything else they hurried over and helped Raito dig.

11:56 PM.

A minute later they unearthed Sayu. As he lifted her out of the rubble, he saw she had some bruises and a small gash on her head, but was otherwise unharmed.

Seeing that his sister would be alright, he left her with her friends and went over to see Misa.

She was standing over the smoking remains of the notebook, tears streaking down her cheek.

"Are you alright?" Raito asked, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"I just wonder why anyone would make something so evil," she said. "I've been doing this for years, at least opnce or twice a month, but they never seem to stop. Who's doing this?" She suddenly notice Raito standing next to her and composed herself. "Is your sister alright?" she asked, brushing unseen dirt off her clothes.

"She wasn't hurt to bad, I think she'll-"

"AAIIEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!" A scream from the other side of the room cut Raito off. He looked back and saw Sayu, standing up now, holding Yoshi by the back of her hair. Sakura appeared to have run off.

"Sa..yu?" he barely managed to say.

His sister didn't acknowledge him. She just stood there, watching Yoshi scream.

Suddenly, and without warning, she took Yoshi's head and slammed it into a protruding metal rod.

The rod went through her eye and stuck out of the other side of her head, killing her instantly.

Raito just stood there, petrified.

"Sayu-kun, what are you doing?" Misa gasped.

_"I'm not Sayu-kun,"_ Sayu's voice said.

It was Sayu's voice, but something about it was wrong.

_"My name is, in fact, Shinigami Ryukuu."_

"What have you done with my sister?" Raito demanded.

_"Oh, Sayu's fine,"_ the Shinigami said in Sayu's voice, _"only now it is I who control her body, not her."_

Raito gasped. Even with everything they did they were still too late to save his sister.

_"Now if you don't mind,"_ the demon puppeteer said in the voice of a seventeen year old girl, _"I still have a task to perform."_

"Not if I can help it!" Misa yelled, unloading the rest of the clip into possessed body of Yagami Sayu. Sayu's body jerked as the bullets pierced it flesh, but soon fell against an overturned desk, unmoving.

"Come on," Misa said, turning to Raito, "we should go find Sakura now. Raito?"

"Just...give me a minute, OK?" Tears were streaming down his face now, brought on by the realization that he'd just lost his only sister.

"Of course, just don't take to long."

Raito went over and knelt next to the limp body of his sister. He gave her one last embrace, "Sayounara, Sayu."

Whump!

Raito coughed, suddenly unable breath. He looked up and saw Sayu's body standing erect, one hand clenched into a fist.

_"Did you really think that was all it took to stop me?!?"_ the Shiniagami using Sayu's voice said. _"It won't be nearly so easy!"_

"Mi-" he started to say before he realized Misa was already taking action. She was running straight towards them. She was holding a crowbar or a metal pipe, he couldn't tell. His head was still swimming.

When she was almost there, Sayu's arm shot out and grabbed the pipe/crowbar, stopping her dead in her tracks. The arm then made some weird twist and threw Misa to the ground. Misa lay still.

"Misa!" he cried weakly.

_"She's still alive,"_ Sayu's voice said, _"but not for much longer."_ Sayu's body then moved towards the mountain of junk and began digging. A minute later she held up something that looked like an ice pick, but the light was so bad it might just as easily be a sliver of wood.

"What's that?" Raito asked, unsure if he really wanted to know the answer.

_"It's an ice pick,"_ Sayu's voice told him. He was right, _"a very useful tool."_ Sayu's body moved next to Misa's._ "Quite effective really. You just stab down like so,"_ the ice pick was driven thourgh Misa's left arm, pinning it to the floor. _"See?"_

Misa bit back a scream.

"Stop!" Raito cried desperately. "Why are you doing this?"

_"You plan to keep me from leaving here, yes?"_ Sayu's voice asked. _"Well, I'm afraid I can't allow you to succeed."_

"Then leave already, just leave Sayu here."

Sayu's voice cackled.

_"You don't get it, do you?"_ Sayu's foot connected with his stomach, once again depriving him of air. "_I'm the one in control of this body now, all she can do is stare through her eye at what I do with it. Excuse me."_ Sayu's wrist moved up to her mouth and she began to suck off the blood that had gotten there when she stabbed Misa.

"If you're really in control, then prove it," Raito said, standing up with great effort. "Do something Sayu would never do, kill me." His eyes were like steel.

_"You're serious?"_ Sayu's voice asked incredulously. Then Sayu's body bent down and pulled the ice pick from Misa's arm. Sayu's feet began walking towards Raito while her arm pointed the pick at his chest. _"I had no idea it would be this easy."_

Suddenly, she stopped.

Just like that, Sayu's body ceased all forward motion.

_"What?"_ Sayu's voice screamed in confusion.

"Don't hurt Nii-chan!" it screamed again. Wait, only Sayu called him Nii-chan.

Sayu was still alive.

"Sayu," Raito said, "you have to fight this."

"I...I don't think I can," she stammered. "I-ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

_"You will not have this body!"_

"It's is not yours!"

_"It will be mine!"_

"No!"

As Sayu argued with the Shinigami that was controlling her, Misa had crawled over to the junk mountain and grabbed a kitchen knife. She was about to pounce.

"Misa, wait," Raito shouted, "Sayu's still alive!"

Misa hesitated, and Sayu's body pivoted to block the strike.

The knife sunk into Sayu's arm, drawing a steady trickle of blood.

_"Get off, Insect!"_ Sayu's voice spat. Once again Misa was hurled to the floor.

"No!" Sayu shouted, throwing herself against the wall.

For a moment, Raito thought she knocked herself out, but dispelled that notion when she slowly began to raise to her feet.

"Nii-chan," Sayu said, her voice sounding very weak, "I don't think I can fight this demon, I'm not strong enough. I'm sorry I ever got involved in this, and that you had to get involved too." She panted. "There's only one way to end this now, and I have to take it."

"Sayu, what do you-"

"Tell Tou-san and Kaa-san I love them," she said, bracing the knife against the wall, blade out. "Goodbye, Nii-chan." With a tear she slammed her head against the knife.

Once. Blood spurted out, staining the wall and the floor.

Twice. It happened again, this time straying a little closer to where he was.

Three times. Blood started coming out of her left eye, probably a punctured vein.

On the fourth time she fell to the ground, dead.

This time, Sayu was dead for good.

* * *

Raito hardly ever cried. If he got injured, he jusr road the pain through. When his parents disciplined him, he would shut off his mind until it forgot what pained it. Even at his grandmother's grave every year, he didn't cry.

The reason he was crying now, his theory went, was because Sayu couldn't do it herself anymore.

He cried from what seemed like hours, unable to hold back his grief. His sister had died such a senseless death, and so had her friend. He didn't even know what the cause of all this was. It was just so...so....

Senseless.

After he finished crying he went over to check on Misa.

"Raito, Misa's so sorry about this, I don't if I'll ever be able make this better."

"Don't be," he said stoically. "How's your arm?" Misa looked down at the hole now in her left arm.

"I haven't died of blood loss yet," she said, attempting a weak chuckle, "but you should probably get Misa-kun to a hospital."

"Right."

"What are you going to tell your family?" Misa asked. "Do you need any help?"

"Yes," Raito sighed dejectedly, "I think I might." He tore part of Misa's skirt off to wrap her arm in.

"Raito-kun?"

"Hmm?"

"Misa really wants to make this up to you somehow."

"Misa, I told you already, you don't have to."

"But Misa wants to," she said as she leaned in to kiss him.

It wasn't a passionate animal kiss, nor was it just a light peck on the cheek. It was a gentle, sensitive kiss that said "I'm sorry, the least I could do now is help you through it".

When she pulled back, Raito looked confused.

"I know you have a girlfriend," Misa explained, "So I won't try to steal you away from her. I just don't want you to feel like you don't have a friend in this."

"Thanks," he said. "Now let's get you taken care off."  
________________________________________

_Layman here, how did you like the story? Was this chapter too corny? Not so? If you like Death Note or just good horror story, please drop a line._

_Some things about this chapter._

_A lesser known fact; Japan doesn't allow guns, the closest thing they have is Air-soft. That said, even though I tried to keep this story as culturaly correct as possible, this was the one thing that I wasn't able to work around._

_Another thing; the warehouse they were in was a homegoods store, like Wallmart. That's why there was all the convenient weapons lying around._

_Finally, I do not own Death Note or any related characters or properties._

_Thanks for reading this. If you're still interested after all this, I'll be posting and "Extra" chapter soon, done in the taped interview style._


	5. Interview

_This chapter is done in the style of the Patient Interviews from Batman; Arkam Asylum. Thanks to caveat lector from providing me with an amazing example to work from.  
___________________________________________

Click.

"Dr. Yohana Tekashi, session 12. Patient, Maebara Sakura. Patient's condition has shown little improvement. She seems to be locked inside herself, either unable or unwilling to respond to direct stimuli most of the time. She also seems to be developing schizophrenic tendencies. I'm going to try to touch on the day of the incident." *door opens* "Hello Sakrua-chan, how are you doing today?"

Awkward silence.

Rocking in chair.

"Um, are you hungry?"

"No."

"Very well then, I'd like to ask you some questions. Is that alright?"

"Um, ok."

"They're about the day of the incident, do you think you'll be alraight?"

"You're not giving me a choice."

"Oh. Um, I've never thought about it like that."

"I don't mind you know."

"Really? Then, may we get started?"

Nods.

"Ok, can you tell me what happened that day?" *rustles through papers* "Some of the details of your account are rather sketchy."

"I...I invited Sayu-chan and Yoshi-chan over my house for the night. We were just going to watch movies and play board games." *begins to sob* "I had no idea...."

"Shh, it's alright. Just tell me what happened next."

*sniffs* "Well, we watched a couple bad movies, and Yoshi-chan suggested we play some games. Sayu-chan took this notebook out of her knapsack and said, 'Let's play this'. I thought it was just something like kokkuri-san."

Silence.

Rocking.

"I take it you believe in spirits?"

"Yes."

"And you like things like Kokkuri-san and fortune telling, right?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you." *scribbles on paper* "Then what happened."

"We called a taxi and it drove us to this abandoned warehouse were we...."

More silence.

"Sakura?"

Click.

* * *

Click.

"Dr. Tekashi session 13, patient Maebara Sakura. Unfortunately, Maebara-san locked herself up midway through the session, and I was unable to glean any other information about that night. She's now rested and she's been given her medication; I believe she will be lucid enough to finish her story." *door opens* "Sakura-chan? May I come in?"

Nods.

"Thank you." *closes door* "Do you think we can pick up where we left off last time?"

Nods.

Rocking.

*clears throat* "Last time you said you and your friends went to a warehouse for a game. What happened when you got there?"

"We...we went inside, and, Sayu-chan said we had to sit in a circle. Then she took out the notebook and began writing names in it. She asked us if there was anyone we hated."

"And what did you say?"

"I didn't say anything, but Yoshi-chan began naming dozens of people she knew." *pause* "I never realized she had so much hate inside her."

"It is sad, but if you don't mind continuing...."

"Sorry. As Sayu started writing the names in the book I suddenly felt the room get cold. then lights started filckering on and off and the wind started blowing."

"Wait, the wind started blowing insdie the building?"

"Yes, I'm not making this up. It really happened."

"I believe you, I just wanted to make sure I didn't hear you wrong. So after the wind picked up, what happened?"

"Well, then this...this spirit appeared." *shudders* "It was so scary."

"Can you describe it? Can you tell me what it looked like?"

"Mm-mm."

*sighs* "Then you don't have to, just finish your story."

"He...he looked at us real intensely, but before he could say anything Sayu-kun's brother and this lady came rushing into the room and the lady shot the book with her gun." *begins to breath heavily* "Then spirit the spirit started thrashing around the room, knocking things over. Then it knocked over the pile of junk Sayu-kun was next to and it crashed down on her.

"When the dust settled Sayu-kun's brother rushed over and started digging her out. He called for me and Yoshi-kun to come over and help us, so we went. When we finally dug her out he went over to the lady he came with and left us alone. Suddenly, the next thing I see is Sayu-kun grabbing Yoshi-kun's head. As I'm running I look back and see Yoshi-kun's head being driven through a metal bar like shishkebab!"

Crying.

"Shh, it's alright, you don't have to say anymore."

"Mmm, my story was finished anyways."

"That's fine."

*distortion* "And so is yours."

Chair slides.

"I-I don't under-Urk!"

Choking.

*distortion* "I would have thought it would be obvious by now, Miss Tekashi.

"I'm Shinigami Ryukuu."

Thump!

Silence.

Step.

Step.

Step.

Click.

*static*

Fin.


End file.
